CN - Subsidies given to more renewable power projects

It is reported that China has increased the number of renewable power projects that qualify for state subsidies under a tariff surcharge program.

Among those eligible for the grants are 62 solar power projects although windmill farms account for more than three quarters of the 496 projects according to a list posted on the Ministry of Finance website. The rest are biomass energy projects. This is the third batch of projects eligible for the subsidies.

China imposes a surcharge on power consumers to subsidize qualified renewable power projects. Wind power plants have accounted for the majority of eligible developments in the first two batches of projects unveiled last year.

The ministry said earlier it paid CNY 8.6 billion in subsidies for renewable power under the program last year. Wind power took CNY 5.85 billion, solar power CNY 723 million and CNY 2.02 billion were used to subsidize electricity generated from biomass energy projects.

The 496 projects span 19 provinces regions and municipalities including 139 in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Shanghai has six wind projects and one solar project on the list.